


White Lie

by Kalael



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-09
Updated: 2013-09-09
Packaged: 2017-12-26 01:29:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/959986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalael/pseuds/Kalael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What's the harm in telling your child a few untruths to make their childhood easier and more interesting?</p><p>Kozmotis never thought that small lies were all that terrible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	White Lie

Kozmotis never thought that small lies were all that terrible. They weren’t so much lies as they were minor falsifications meant to make the universe more interesting. After all, where was the harm in telling his daughter that adults could fly when no one was looking? It made her more alert, and gave her something to entertain herself with when they had to attend dull military ceremonies. She is only a toddler, after all, and a very intelligent one at that. Gullible though she may be, Seraphina would eventually learn for herself that there is magic in small things. Childhood is a precious time and Kozmotis doesn’t want her to grow up too quickly. Maybe it’s a selfish reason, but it wouldn’t hurt anyone.

 

Many parents have to make up stories to tell their children where babies come from. Kozmotis has to make up stories about where Seraphina’s mother went when she died. Their big house is never empty, they have servants bustling about and laughing cheerfully in the corridors, but late at night when Kozmotis tucks Seraphina into bed he is very aware of the hollow space left where his wife used to be.

 

“Tell me Mama’s story again.” Seraphina demands, three years old and already very sure of her place as the queen in Kozmotis’ life.

 

“I told it to you last night.” Kozmotis says patiently. He sits down anyway and smooths Seraphina’s wild black hair from her forehead, watching her tiny face scrunch up under his warm hand. “Did you know that hair is made of silk?”

 

“Really?” Seraphina asks in awe. “But how did it get there?”

 

“All mothers spin their child’s hair before they are born.” He tells her, and watches as her eyes grow wide with amazement.

 

“So Mama made my hair out of black silk?” She tugs her hair to get a closer look at it, inspecting the strands for signs of her mother. Kozmotis runs his fingers through her bangs and thinks of a slender woman with a mouth that was quick to smile.

 

“Yes, just like her own.” He kisses her forehead and leaves Seraphina to ponder silken hair and the mothers who spin it.

 

They are small lies, white lies. They won’t hurt anyone. When Seraphina asks about the one lock of hair on her head that will never lie flat, Kozmotis tells her that it’s the thread that ties her to her mother. When she asks about the ring on his left hand, he tells her that it’s where he keeps a piece of her mother’s heart so that it’s always close. Seraphina asks if she can give him a piece of her own, and together they fashion a locket that Kozmotis wears every day. When she asks if he can give her a piece of his heart, he tells her that she already has half of it inside of her.

 

“One half of mine, and one half of your mother’s.” He says, and Seraphina is so excited that she goes running through the house telling all the servants that she has two hearts—one that’s her own, and one made from her mother and father. When she listens for the beat of both hearts inside of her Kozmotis doesn’t have it in him to tell her that she only has one heartbeat.

 

“Why did Mama have to go?” Seraphina asks, and it’s the first time that she has ever questioned the reasons behind her mother’s absence despite hearing the story of where she supposedly went to so many times before. Kozmotis doesn’t have an answer prepared.

 

“She didn’t choose to leave.” He says slowly. “People have to go when it’s their time to, but we don’t find out why until we have to leave as well.”

 

“When’s our time?” It’s an innocent question. Seraphina doesn’t understand the permanence of death and Kozmotis can only blame himself for that.

 

“Hopefully not for a very long time.” He kisses her forehead and tucks her in, eager to leave and sort his own thoughts in the quiet of his room.

 

“You won’t leave before me, will you?” Seraphina calls out, small and sad and scared. Kozmotis pauses in the doorway, feels his chest clench and he closes his eyes against the pain that wells up in reaction to his daughter’s plea.

 

He doesn’t see the harm in white lies.

 

“I will always be here.” He says, walking back to her beside and kneeling beside it. Seraphina reaches out to take his hand and he lets her, waiting until Seraphina is fast asleep. Her small fingers tighten around his own when he stands and he gently pries them away.

 

The war rages on. Kozmotis receives his summons and kisses Seraphina’s forehead before he goes.

 

“We are connected.” He reminds her, holding up the locket that stands for the piece of Seraphina’s heart. She nods solemnly, tears streaking her cheeks. “I’ll come home.”

 

Seraphina knows a white lie when she hears one.


End file.
